Bathtub racing: Still time to build racer for classic

Peter Seymour was one of two men who converted bathtubs into racing boats and took to Auckland Harbour as part of a promotional stunt ahead of the inaugural Bay of Islands Bathtub Racing Classic. Photo/Supplied

Ladies and gentlemen, start your ... bathtubs?

Entries are now being invited for the inaugural Bay of Islands Bathtub Racing Classic which takes place in Paihia on May 24.

Event spokesman Noel Brown said more than 20 people had already entered and he urged others interested in trying their hand at the novel sport to start building their tubs as a fun DIY summer project.

"Teams in the Bay are already busy building their tubs and we'd love to see racers from around the country get involved. A complete kit can be purchased from FNHL so there's still plenty of time for Kiwis to get stuck in over summer," he said.

The BOI Classic will see motorised bathtubs being raced competitively around a specially designed short course off Te Ti Beach. As well as an outboard motor, stabilisers are added to the bathtub, which can be built from any material to form a hull.

The winner of the race will receive the coveted title of New Zealand's best bathtubber and be flown by Air New Zealand to Canada to watch the World Championships in Nanaimo next year.

"Bathtub racing has become a highly popular sport worldwide and is a fun, inventive way of getting people motivated to get out on the water," Brown said.

"This event combines Kiwis' love of the water with our inventive bent so is sure to attract many enthusiast competitors."

Two motorised bathtubs whizzed around Auckland Harbour last week, hitting speeds of up to 35km/h. The culprits were tubbing enthusiasts Graeme Rigden and Peter Seymour in their custom-built crafts.

Entry is now open to anyone over 16 years, with separate classes for men, women and teens.

For more information, visit http://www.bayofislandsbathtubbing.com.